Andoni Iraola is the new Liverpool manager.
After weeks of speculation, Fabrizio Romano’s famous “Here We Go” was followed by official confirmation from the club. The Basque coach replaces Arne Slot, whose reign came to an abrupt end despite delivering the Premier League title in 2024/25. Liverpool’s dramatic decline last season ultimately convinced the club to make another change.
Now the question is simple: can Iraola revive Liverpool and bring back the high-intensity football that defined the Jurgen Klopp era?
From Athletic Bilbao to the Liverpool Dugout
Iraola spent most of his playing career at Athletic Bilbao before retiring in 2016 while playing for New York City FC in MLS.
His coaching journey began almost immediately. In 2017 he took charge of youth side Antiguoko, and a year later stepped into senior management with AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.
His first major job did not go entirely to plan. Although AEK won the 2018 Cypriot Super Cup, the club struggled elsewhere and Iraola was dismissed in 2019.
Instead of slowing down, he rebuilt his reputation at Mirandes. Taking over the Segunda Division side in 2019, he led them to the Copa del Rey semi-finals — only the second time in the club’s 97-year history. Along the way, Mirandes eliminated Sevilla and Villarreal before eventually losing to Real Sociedad.
The Rayo Vallecano Breakthrough
Iraola truly announced himself at Rayo Vallecano.
He guided the club back to La Liga and reached the Copa del Rey semi-finals in 2021/22, eventually losing to Real Betis. More importantly, Rayo developed one of the most recognizable styles in Spain.
The team pressed relentlessly, became dangerous from set pieces, and consistently improved individual players. One of the best examples was Fran Garcia, who developed under Iraola before earning a return to Real Madrid.
The Bielsa Influence
Iraola often credits Marcelo Bielsa as one of his biggest influences.
The two worked together at Athletic Bilbao between 2011 and 2013, and the Liverpool boss has openly admitted how much he learned from the legendary Argentine.
However, there is an important difference between them.
Bielsa’s teams are often associated with highly detailed instructions and strict positional responsibilities. Iraola prefers a more flexible approach. He builds structure but encourages players to make their own decisions within it.
As Iraola once explained:
"Good organisation creates good ideas, but the players are responsible for bringing those ideas to life. Football belongs to the players. Coaches are only there to help."
That philosophy has become a defining feature of his management style.
A Coach Who Understands Players
Another reason behind Iraola’s rapid rise is his ability to connect with players.
As a former professional footballer, he places enormous value on understanding personalities and managing individuals differently.
He has often spoken about the importance of knowing which players need private criticism, which respond better to public encouragement, and why modern footballers must be convinced rather than simply ordered.
For Iraola, authority comes from ideas and communication rather than status.
Transforming Bournemouth
When Bournemouth appointed Iraola in 2023, the club had narrowly avoided relegation and wanted a fresh identity.
The start was difficult.
After 11 Premier League matches, Bournemouth had won just once and suffered seven defeats. Many managers would not have survived that run, but the club kept faith in him.
That decision paid off.
As players became more comfortable with his demanding system, Bournemouth improved dramatically. They finished 12th in his first season, reached the FA Cup quarter-finals and climbed to ninth the following year, before producing the best campaign in club history with a sixth-place finish in 2025/26.
Building and Rebuilding
One of the most impressive aspects of Iraola’s Bournemouth project was player development.
The club generated huge profits from the sales of Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, Antoine Semenyo, Dango Ouattara and Dominic Solanke.
Yet Bournemouth rarely suffered significant declines after losing key players. Iraola repeatedly found solutions and helped new talent emerge.
Today, players such as Alex Scott, Eli Junior Kroupi, Evanilson, Ryan Christie, Justin Kluivert and Tyler Adams remain highly valued assets, while Marcos Senesi is expected to attract interest after leaving on a free transfer.
The Pressing Machine
Everything starts with pressing.
Bournemouth became one of the most aggressive teams in the Premier League under Iraola. Opponents consistently struggled to build attacks, passing accuracy dropped against them, and the Cherries regularly won possession high up the pitch.
Their PPDA numbers were among the league’s best throughout his tenure.
What makes the system particularly effective is that it relies on intelligence as much as physical effort.
Players are given principles rather than rigid instructions. If one player jumps forward to pressure the ball or covers two opponents, teammates are expected to recognise the situation and adjust instantly.
Speaking to The Independent in early 2025, Iraola explained:
"We try not to give teams time to execute what they have prepared. If you are brave enough, they are forced to play a different game from the one they expected."
That willingness to disrupt opponents became the foundation of Bournemouth’s success.
Pressing as Playmaking
Like Klopp, Iraola sees pressing as an attacking weapon rather than simply a defensive tool.
Bournemouth frequently turned high turnovers into goalscoring opportunities. The team specifically trained for what Iraola described as "high-quality recoveries" — winning the ball in areas where immediate attacks could be launched.
His message to players was simple:
"Ask for the ball after winning it back, even when you are tired."
The objective was not merely to regain possession but to punish opponents before they could recover.
Tyler Adams once summed up Bournemouth's mentality perfectly:
"We want matches to be as chaotic as possible while still remaining in control."
That balance between chaos and organisation is perhaps the best description of Iraola's football.
The Liverpool Challenge
Liverpool will present a completely different challenge.
At Bournemouth, Iraola often faced stronger opponents and built his game around disrupting them. At Liverpool, he will dominate possession in most matches and face teams defending deep.
His pressing system should transfer naturally to Anfield, but positional attacks and low-block solutions will become far more important than they were on the south coast.
There are also questions about squad balance, although Liverpool have an opportunity to address those issues during the summer transfer window.
Richard Hughes Connection
One major advantage for Iraola is the presence of sporting director Richard Hughes.
Before joining Liverpool, Hughes worked at Bournemouth and was the executive who brought Iraola to the club in 2023. Now he has reunited with the Spaniard at Anfield.
That existing relationship may prove crucial during the transfer market.
Unlike managers such as Xabi Alonso, Iraola is not known for demanding control over recruitment. He prefers focusing on coaching while working closely with the sporting department.
For Liverpool, that alignment could become one of the biggest reasons this appointment succeeds.
A Fascinating New Era
Liverpool supporters have spent years watching Klopp’s heavy metal football define the club’s identity.
Arne Slot delivered silverware but never fully recreated that intensity. Iraola, however, arrives with a reputation built on relentless pressing, fearless football and player development.
Whether he can adapt those ideas to a team expected to dominate rather than disrupt remains to be seen.
One thing is certain: after the Slot era, Liverpool matches should become a lot more entertaining again.
Published by Patrick Jane
05.06.2026